Unexpected turn of events, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is receiving an unanticipated boost, courtesy of Pass the Torch USA, a super PAC closely aligned with Rep. Dean Phillips. Over the past week, this political action committee, linked to Phillips, has been running a series of ads in New Hampshire taking direct aim at President Joe Biden.
According to a Politico report on Friday, December 1, 2023, these ads defy the conventional narrative by countering the argument that Trump cannot secure a victory in a general election.
The commercials strategically showcase Trump’s strong position for the general election, featuring video footage of the January 6 Capitol riot with the impactful script, “The threat is real. Donald Trump is winning.”
One ad confidently asserts, “Twenty twenty-four is different. Trump is winning,” while another provides a state-by-state breakdown of polls, demonstrating Trump’s lead over Biden in battleground states. Trump’s aides have expressed their approval of these ads, with senior adviser Chris LaCivita stating, “Yes, Donald Trump is beating crooked Joe Biden, and we approve this message.”
Pass the Torch USA, led by political operative Steve Schmidt, has allocated a moderate sum of $263,000 for nine days of advertising in New Hampshire. This spending, though notably less than the main pro-Haley super PAC, presents an unexpected hurdle for Trump’s primary rivals and aligns with the narrative of Trump’s electability.
Despite the independence emphasized by Phillips adviser Jeff Weaver, who asserts that the ads merely restate publicly available polling, Trump’s primary rivals, including Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, have not yet commented on this unexpected support from the Phillips-aligned super PAC.
Both Haley and DeSantis have been actively promoting their electability, with Haley claiming better odds against Biden and DeSantis expressing concerns about Trump’s chances of re-election.
Importantly, Phillips could influence the race by drawing support from independent voters who might otherwise lean towards a Republican candidate like Haley or DeSantis. In New Hampshire, where independent voters can participate in either party’s primary, Phillips may play a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape, adding a layer of complexity to the unfolding dynamics of the Republican primary race.
